Winter's End
by Josephine Rayne
Summary: Sequel to Dead of Winter. Twenty years after Matthew's trial, the QuinnSullyCooperCook family is still dealing with its aftermath. It's the year 1900 and everything's changing.
1. Frozen Spring

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter One: Frozen Spring

Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman in any way.

Author's Note: "Winter's End" is the sequel of "Dead of Winter." I thought Katie was born in 1871 but the official website says Katie is born in 1872. I also made a mistake with Katie's age in "Dead of Winter" making her 12 in 1880 when she would have been 9 (which made Emily E and Sam's ages incorrect) so I returned Katie (and Emily E and Sam's) in this sequel to the correct (well 1871) age. Also, I did not know that Sully (according to the official website) was born in 1835; I guessed he was born in 1831. So, for the purposes of this story, go with my ages as described.

January 1900

The trees sparkled with brilliant icicles. The fields and prairie danced with glistening shades of white and playful shadows. She loved this time of year, this time when the painful days of December were almost behind her and she could nearly taste the beauty of spring. She rejoiced in the return of her now full grown children and grandchildren. It had been twenty years and time had been relatively good to the Sully family. Still, perhaps some skeletons lay too close to the surface to ever really be gone.

"Grandma, do you need some help?"

"No, I think I'm done, thank you Lexi." Michaela smiled back at her granddaughter, Dr. Alexandra Cook, or Dr. Lexi as the townspeople preferred, as the elder woman removed her stethoscope from Mr. Dawaloby's chest. She had only met Mr. Dawaloby once before, which was common ever since gold was found nearby in '91 at Cripple Creek.

"_Grandma_? Well you sure do have a way to fool a body." The patient said.

Dr. Mike laughed, seventy was approaching her a lot sooner then she would have liked. She looked around her clinic; it really hadn't changed much since she had arrived in Colorado Springs so many years before, even with Lexi, Andrew and Colleen working underfoot. A few extra rooms had been built, but still Michaela could almost hear Colleen and Brian dropping Katie off before heading to school-Matthew checking in. Evie, later, doing her school work on her mother's desk. But, of course that was not how it was. It was only now that Michaela understood why her mother had been so adamant to have her daughters stay in Boston. It was not to control them, but to control time.

"Dr. Mike!" a voice from outside called interrupting her thoughts.

"Lexi, could you give Mr. Dawaloby his medication?" she stated rushing to open the door. "Jake! What's wrong?" Jake Slicker stood before her, out of breath and sweating.

"It's Catalina. She, Ned, and the baby…there's been an accident just outside of town."

Dr. Mike grabbed her medical bag as Lexi said: "I'll get Ma and Pa." She nodded in agreement and touched Jake's shoulder. Catalina was his youngest daughter, Ned Turner his son-in-law, and the baby, Ben, his grandson.

Unaware, one hour later, Brian Cooper smiled to himself as he stepped onto the platform. Glancing around his childhood home, he saw that some things had not been changed by time. The schoolhouse was still red and small and he could see the words "Bray's Mercantile" clearly even though it had been twelve years since Mr. Bray's death. Ms. Dorothy had taken good care of it.

"Are we going to see Grandma now?" the small ten-year-old boy spoke pulling on his father's jacket.

"Have some patience, Byron Matthew." Liliana corrected her brother as she too stepped off the train. Her dark curly locks were tied up beneath her large hat and she glowed in her slim dark green dress. Lily was the true essence of a Bostonian beauty-never was she without a partner at a ball or not having young men asking to court her. She was twenty-four and while her stepmother Georgia felt she was too old to be single, Liliana was enjoying it.

"She must still be at the clinic." Brian said looking at his pocket watch and wondering why no one was there to greet his family. They made their way down the main street of Colorado Springs which now held another mercantile and several other stores. More would pop up and soon Robert E's blacksmith shop would be non-existent when automobiles came to Colorado and Hank's Saloon would be replaced by a classy restaurant, Jake's barber shop by take home razors and Grace would build a roof instead of a turf over her café. But, for now Colorado Springs stood between two eras-the past and the future.

"Ma, I-" said Brian but stopped when he looked into the clinic. A thin dark haired woman whom he recognized as Catalina Slicker Turner was sobbing near the operating table, her arm bandaged-his niece Lexi, and Cat's good friend comforting her. Jake, hugging Mrs. Slicker, gave Brian a somber half smile.

"I am going to visit Grandpa Hank…I will take Byron with me, Papa." Liliana took her brother's hand and led him back onto the street.

"Oh Brian, I'm sorry I forgot, the train-" Michaela pulled a white sheet over Ned Turner and his two year old son laying next to him. The light from the window shined on Dr. Mike in an odd way, highlighting the gray strands that were creeping into her long brown hair. In that instant she looked her sixty-seven years.

"-Andrew and I will take Brian to Grace's. You and Lexi can meet us when you're ready," Colleen said washing her hands in the basin and opening the door. The forty-six year old then looped her arm through her brother's, whispering in his ear: "It's good to see you little brother."

The trio sat at a table after Grace had finished dotting on Brian. "I still can't believe it, little Lottie's getting married." He said.

"_You_ can't." Andrew laughed. "What about you, Mr. _Chief_ Editor?"

"That's right, quite the accomplishment. The Boston Globe!" Colleen playfully tapped her brother on his shoulder. "Oh, there's Lottie's fiancée now." She pointed to the skinny blonde talking to Robert E. "Ephraim."

"Drs. Cook." He smiled.

"This is my brother, Brian, he's home for the wedding. Brian, meet Ephraim Reading."

Ephraim shook Brian's hand. "But, but the wedding's not till May!"

"Relax, Ephraim. Brian and his children haven't been home in a few years. They're just visiting." Colleen answered. "Where is Georgia anyway?"

"Oh, oh ok. Well I'll be goin' see ya at dinner." Ephraim said walking backwards as he spoke, toward the street, nearly knocking into Grace.

"Nervous and a bit clumsy, I know, but he loves Lottie." Colleen said.

"I'm glad. It's good that she's teaching at the school. Mrs. Slicker is going to need the help." Brian looked toward the clinic.

"Poor Cat. There's nothing worse than loosing a child."

"I'm sorry… Beth…I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Andrew wrapped his arm around his wife. Beth's death still hurt, but Andrew had always wanted more children after the triplets. Colleen seemed so dead set against it-she had tried, he knew, for him, but in the end he supposed it wasn't meant to be. After two devastating miscarriages they moved back to Colorado Springs, when the girls were six, to be closer to her family. Still, seeing Lottie ready to get married he wished he had some children running around the house. "Speaking of children. Aren't those yours coming this way?"

Bryon ran up to his aunt and uncle eagerly giving them a hug. Liliana of course was the daughter of the editor of the biggest newspaper in Boston. Liliana grew up in a far different style than her fathers had, full of riches, politics and society. In fact she wasn't so different from her grandmother. Still, big business hadn't changed her Pa-his wife, Georgia Miller Cooper, was of society and he lived a life of the elite, but inside he still remained the outdoorsman who loved animals and nature. While she absorbed all that high society Boston had to offer-she still saw the child her Pa must have been whenever he came back to Colorado or took Bryon into the outdoors. She laughed as she watched her brother eagerly greet Aunt Colleen and Uncle Andrew. Liliana felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Caleb Slicker. Nice to meet ya." A slender light brown haired man approached her, tipping his hat. She noticed that the young man was well dressed for Colorado.

"Liliana Lawson Cooper. I believe we met as children." She curved her hand to be kissed. Caleb fumbled with her hand.

"No doubt. Colorado Springs is a small place."

"No doubt,"

Her sparkling blue eyes mesmerized Caleb, if he wasn't mistake they seemed to be smiling back at him

"I'm sorry about your nephew and brother-in-law."

"My what?"

"You don't know? I have to meet my father, but you should check the clinic." Liliana turned and walked to her family's table. She glanced back once as Caleb hurriedly crossed the busy street.

Michaela smiled to herself as she shut the door to what had been Brian's room. Byron slept soundly curled up amongst the sheets. He was a quiet kind boy with dusty blonde hair, but looked quite a bit like Ethan Cooper-despite the name of Byron. It had been years since Dr. Mike had been able to see her only grandson and she was glad to have him, Lily and Brian close.

"Byron asleep?" Sully said wrapping his arms around his wife as the pair stood in the hallway. "I still wish Brian hadn't named him that. Byron is no name for a man."

"It's an honor-named for his grandpa and uncle." Michaela reached up and kissed Sully, but then sighed. "Can you believe it's been twenty years?"

"Michaela, our children and grandchildren are waiting for us in the kitchen, let's enjoy _that_."

"But, Matthew…_and_ Katie."

"We don't know if Katie's been hurt. She was sixteen when she left. She's almost thirty now. She'll come back when she's ready."

"If I hadn't of pushed her to be more like me. More like Colleen and Evie. And she always blamed me for Matthew."

Michaela could still remember their fight about college. She had wanted Katie to go to school in Denver close to home but Katie had wanted to take the money her grandmother had left her and study art in New York or Europe. A frightened Michaela, ever since she had seen her son swung from a noose, preferred her children in Colorado.

He kissed her again. "She _is_ like you. Strong and stubborn. Most women don't leave their families to open a practice out west, remember? "

They made their way into the kitchen as the sun set on the household. Lily talked eagerly to Lexi; the two had always been close as children-sisters instead of cousins. Liliana's gown sat in contrast to the latter's thin plain skirt and white collared shirt smeared a little with blood. Brian laughed with Colleen, while Andrew kissed the top of Lottie's head as she talked with her fiancé. Sully pulled out the wooden chair and sat net to Brian. Michaela sat next to Colleen, but was watching her youngest daughter. As everyone conversed around the table, Evie stood in the corner with her husband, Xavier Williamson, a carpenter. The twenty-two year olds married that past year and lived in a homestead a few miles outside of town. Xavier rocked their four-month-old Amelia, in his arms.

"Evie, why did you marry me? Do you love me? Do you love our daughter?" Xavier whispered harshly.

Eve Josefine Sully Williamson looked blankly toward the fire burning in the fireplace. She was not a little girl any longer. Still, it was neither the day of her wedding nor the birth of her child that ended her childhood, but the winter of her tenth year. As the youngest she never really knew her dead brother, the doctor or the editor. Katie though six years older was her closest sibling and when she left, Evie became the primary attention of her parents-a hard burden to carry. Though her closest allies were her nieces, she couldn't help but feel alone.

But, to Michaela, she saw only her quiet albeit opinionated daughter. The sweet and calm baby and child who rarely smiled but held sparkling mystery in her deep blue eyes. Even still she always_ seemed _happy. Evie was the only one of her children whom she never had to worry about.

Xavier made Evie laugh, talk and be silly. She loved her kind son-in-law. Still, Michaela wondered why he had spoken such harsh words to her daughter.

Evie turned away from her husband and child, barely looking up, as she walked over to Lottie, her closest friend, and began talking about the wedding. Xavier stood with his daughter, glowing by the fire.

A/N: MORE TO COME!


	2. Thawed Secrets

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter Two: Thawed Secrets

A/N: Some have not read the prequel to this story "Dead of Winter". Here is a quick summary of the _previous_ story: "Dead of Winter" and the characters' relations to each other. (Chapter two is at the bottom if you want to skip ahead).

**Sully **and** Michaela** have, as you know, Matthew, Colleen, Brian and **Katie**. In my version they have one more daughter, Eve Josefine Sully or **Evie**. She is born in 1878.

**Matthew** in the previous story moved to Denver to learn law and was courting Madelyn Thatcher. A robber (Elijah Mitchell) kills her near Thanksgiving. Matthew, having lost so much previously, kills the murderer. Matthew goes to trial and is hung in late December, twenty years before this story takes place.

**Colleen** and **Andrew** have triplets, Alexandra (**Lexi**), Elizabeth (**Beth**), and Charlotte (**Lottie**). Beth dies around the same time as Matthew.

One more person dies in December as well. **Zach**, **Hank**'s son, who was discovered in the first season (ep "The Secret"), comes home to visit with his daughter, **Liliana**. He dies of cancer and leaves **Liliana** to **Brian**.

In _this_ story:

**Brian**: lives in Boston and is married to Georgia. They have one son **Byron** **Matthew** who is ten and **Liliana** or Lily.

**Lexi**: is a doctor and works at the clinic with her parents and grandmother.

**Lottie**: is getting married and is a teacher.

**Grace** and **Robert** **E**: have the daughter whom they were pregnant with in the series finale (ep "A New Beginning"). Her name is Emily Olivia Antonia or **Emily** **E**.

**Jake** and **Teresa** have three children. **Caleb**, **Isabella**, and **Catalina**.

**Rev'd** Johnson: is married to Ivy and has a stepson **Luke**.

**Loren**: died in 1888.

**Dorothy **still has the Gazette & runs Loren's store and **Cloud** **Dancing** is displaced from his tribe and is living in Colorado Springs...he is courting Dorothy.

February 1900

Brian sipped his milk and cookies. Even at his age he still liked his sweets, especially when it was Colleen's cooking. The house was quiet and the moonlight escaped into the homestead. With so many people under one roof it felt strange to have a moment to think. Evie and her family had gone home, Colleen and Andrew went to their own home in town, Lottie went to her room above the church where other schoolteachers had stayed before her. Ephram to what would soon be their homestead and even though only his ma, pa, children and Lexi slept upstairs it felt good to be near his family. Three years was too long to be away. He already had a whole list of favorite spots he wanted to show Byron Matthew and Liliana. Still, so much of his home had changed. Cloud Dancing and his people where scattered-Indians once such a common sight became a rarity.

"You alright, Papa? I saw the light," Lily spoke while her white gown swept across the floor, she kissed her father's cheek and hummed _Maple Leaf Rag_ softly. "Missing Georgia?"

Brian hugged his daughter and shook his head yes. "It's ok Lily. Go on back to bed." She grabbed a cookie and went back up the stairs. It had been two months since his wife had the driver take her to the train station with tickets she had hidden in the upstairs bureau for months according to Byron Matthew and Liliana. Tickets to where and why Brian hadn't figured out yet- another reason for his early arrival to Colorado Springs. Sighing and praying again that Georgia was safe he opened a letter from his friend.

January 3, 1900 

_Brian,_

_I hope your holiday is going well. Still, no news on Georgia, but I do urge your return to Boston. Others, as you know, at the paper have never liked your…soft approach to journalism. They still blame you for the loss of sales during the war in the Philippines. They want more scandal and excitement to sell papers and will do so soon in your absence. My position as acting Chief Editor may not be enough to stop them._

_Your friend,_

_William S. Hunt _

Just then he wished Sully had agreed to put in a telephone when Brian offered to buy one. Sully, still living in the 19th century, refused. Brian didn't even bother to mention the new automobiles that Henry Ford had just made in Detroit only this month. It was his job to know the news, even if he didn't like it…well that was if he still had a job.

Had Georgia found out about the trouble with the paper? Is that way she left with no explanation? No word? No, he decided, they had been married for eleven years. Still, he had Byron to worry about-Byron thought his mother had gone on a holiday and asked about her often. Brian sighed realizing he would receive no answers from his milk and crumbs of cookies, blow out a candle, grabbed the lamp, and headed upstairs to bed. The shadows following him as he went.

Colleen twisted and turned as she abruptly awoke from a dream. She sighed as she turned over and saw her husband blissfully unaware of her anguish. She'd been having the same dream for months now. Matthew stared at her not aging at all since that day in 1880, he was riding on a horse and Colleen on her own desperately tried to catch up to him never quite making it. Her arms never long enough to reach. With tears in her eyes Colleen stood up and looked out of her window onto the starry streets of Colorado Springs. Perhaps she blamed herself for not doing more to stop the death of her brother-for allowing him to rob him of life.

It had been ten years after her brother's death when Dr. Mike and Sully told her of their plan to rescue Matthew. They were going to burn down the jail and make it seem like Matthew had died. Then he'd leave and never come back. It was Matthew who told them no.

Why hadn't she gone to see him?

Truthfully, she had been so focused on the loss of her daughter she couldn't let it sink in that she was about to lose a brother. Still, Brian had become a father to Lily in a matter of moments and had found the time to visit Matthew in Denver to make sure he was alright-even little Katie had gone to see him.

The telegraph she had sent him was barely anything more than the cheerful note three-year-old Evie had sent completely ignorant to the situation. Had he died without knowing how much she loved him? How angry and sad she was that he had killed a man, but still didn't think he deserved what was happening to him? Did he think that she hated him?

Though drained from lack of sleep Colleen sat at her desk letting her mind wonder as she figured out what the guests would eat at Lottie's wedding.

She was on a train from nowhere, to nowhere. Her head gently propped itself against the window, the rhythmic motion of the train car felt like, she supposed, being soothingly rocked to sleep by a parent. Daringly with her glistened eyes, she saw, reflected off the darken night, a young girl, no older then herself, laying her head on the shoulder of a young man. Meanwhile, two children, one boy and one girl, ran up the aisle smiling, their mother barely able to keep up. The observer looked closer in to the glass, two brilliant blue eyes stared back at her. There was something unsettling about that face, about those eyes-they were absent, scarcely it seemed, in this world.

In those eyes, that were her own, she saw sorrow-_When did my dreams become Amelia's and Xavier's? I have this child growing inside of me and I want none of it. What kind of person does that make me? _She thought, questioning herself, wondering when exactly this stranger took over her body, the clunking of the train's wheels forcing her to jump at every moment. Uneasiness settled deep within her and Evie remembered the loud screeching of her daughter as it cut throughout the household. Rain trickled down outside. Eve Sully Williamson listened to everything-anything other then Amelia's screams. She flopped over on to her side, staring at the wall--at shadows that danced before her. She closed her eyes as Xavier, shoved her and called out her name. Sighing, Xavier got up and went to check on the baby; Evie let out a breath of relief.

A few minutes later, Xavier got back into bed and pulled the covers over himself, "I know you're awake," he stated as Evie turned and looked her husband in the eye; wondering if they were the same two people who met three years ago. "We could go out to dinner tomorrow, just the two of us," he questioned, his eyes pleading with hers.

Evie turned back around. "I don't think so." The rain echoed in the silence.

The train moved along taking her farther away from herself. The whistling cut through the darkness and next to her, in another world, the mother had caught up with her children, the little boy giggling and the girl staring back at her, piercing-daring Evie to remember her own little girl. In her mind, she returned to her life, the life that did not exist any longer.

But she was alone again, alone inside the train car, alone with so many people, alone with someone inside her. For a moment, it was calm and it was silent but not the kind that stifled her. She thought, as she had so many times before of a tree, rain or horse causing a spark, a sudden break and the violent overturning of the car in which she sat. This thought had terrified her before, but the derailment and the penetrating silence thereafter, a moment when life was not certain whether to keep or take it, was just the same as the half-life she had been pretending to live.

Evidently, her trip to Denver had not gone well.

"So any wishes for your birthday?" Sully smiled, as they both got ready. Michaela didn't want anything special but Sully had planned a big party in town in her honor for that evening.

Michaela stared into the mirror brushing her hair. "To be young?" Sixty seven years had gone by so fast-she could still remember the day she had arrived in Colorado Springs, grossly overdressed and falling into the mud, losing Charlotte but gaining the children, marrying Sully, Matthew being sheriff, Brian becoming a man, Colleen going to college, Katie being born, Colleen getting married, Evie being born, her first grandchildren…. she remembered Boston and Marjorie, her father, her mother, Rebecca whom she'd have to write and even Claudette and Maureen whom she'd always regret not being close to. It had gone by all too fast…

Sully reached over, kissed her and then began brushing his wife's hair. "You _are_ young."

The lanterns illuminated the town and the music echoed throughout the town. "Happy Birthday, Dr. Mike!" Horace said. He had just returned from visiting Samantha and her family in Florida and it seemed that the warm climate had agreed with him.

"Thank you, Horace." Dr. Mike smiled.

"Jorge looks an awful lot like Jake doesn't he?" Horace said gesturing toward Isabella, Theresa and Jake's oldest daughter, her newborn baby Jorge and her husband Juan Lopez a rancher from Texas.

Michaela agreed. She was glad that the little boy had brought joy to his family after the death of Ned and Ben. Dr. Mike hadn't seen Catalina since the accident-in fact no one had-hopefully she had made the party.

"Why don't you take Amelia?" Xavier said to Evie eager to inspect the work he had done to construct the floor. The beautiful five and half month old cooed softly.

Evie walked toward Lottie and Isabella heading to the punch table hoping to confide in them how her visit to a friend from school turned into a doctor telling her she was four months pregnant.

Lexi, huddled in her own corner with Emily E and Liliana, said: "Oh I'll take her."

"Thanks Lex." Xavier spoke as he too walked sheepishly away.

Sully stared at his youngest daughter with sad eyes and reasoned in his mind to talk to Evie tomorrow-to take her to their favorite spot as he had done when she was a child. Still, tonight he had promised to show Michaela a good time and aimed to keep that promise despite the odd behavior of their children and a headache. Seeing Cloud Dancing and Dorothy dancing happily he pulled Michaela to do the same.

"What is going on with Evie?" Emily E, Grace and Robert E's daughter, said. "Usually you can't stop her from enjoying the music and talking to just about everyone."

Liliana shrugged. Her eyes were focused on Caleb Slicker. "I will be back."

"They have been meeting every day." Lexi said smiling. "Kind of like you and Luke."

Emily E scolded. "Alexandra Cook! You know no one can know, it'll just cause a whole lot of trouble." The white Luke Thomas was the stepson of the Reverend.

"You've been together for years. The town accepted Ms. Dorothy and Cloud Dancing eventually, they will for you and Luke."

"If you say so Lexi. Come on, let's go find you someone to dance with."

"Ben! Ben!" the pair heard someone scream. "Mama's here where are you?"

"It's Cat!" Lexi said as she handed the baby to Emily and ran to her friend. "Are you alright?"

Catalina hugged the familiar person. "Lexi, you'll help me find Ben won't you? And Ned, have you seen him anywhere?" she looked franticly behind Lexi's shoulder.

"The accident…you don't remember? Let's take you to the clinic. I'll make you feel better, I promise."

"You'll find Ben?" she was on her knees now her white gown blowing through the wind.

Lexi nodded. "We'll find Ben."

"That is alright Alexandra. I will take Catalina home."

Lexi jumped at the voice of Mrs. Slicker behind her. "I have medicine in the clinic to calm her down." However, Theresa was already pulling her daughter away from the crowd of on lookers that had formed. Jake slipped his jacket over Cat as she rested her head on his shoulder. Lexi stood in the street helpless.

Michaela slide next to Sully another year older, her husband already asleep and looked into the dark, she wondered what the next year would bring. She wondered what more would change, how her children and grandchildren's lives would turn out. She wondered if she had made a mess of the whole thing, but knew deep down that the last seventy odd years were spent well. She smiled and curled herself around Sully.

A/N: More to come…please review!


	3. A Frozen Life

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter Three: A Frozen Life

March 1900

A visitor smiled to himself as he wandered through the town he had left so long ago. He wasn't surprised when he saw that Dr. Quinn still had a clinic, as he stood in front of it, residents creeping into their lives as the morning broke. The sign Medical Clinic and Michaela Quinn, MD, Andrew Cook, MD, Colleen Cook, MD and Alexandra Cook, MD illuminated by the sun. Smirking at the name of his daughter.

"She's not in, death in the family. The Cooks live above the clinic. I'm sure they can help if it's urgent." Dorothy spoke turning back to head toward the store, but then stopped herself. "…Ethan Cooper?"

"Yes. I am. I'm here for my granddaughter's wedding."

Sully was dead.

A headache had been much more then a simple ailment. A stoke while he slept had taken her husband away from her. In a way it seemed fitting that Sully would be gone in the dawn of the new century. He hadn't liked the changes that were coming and the ones that were already abundant. Still, Michaela didn't know how she would live her life without Sully. Brian and the children were there and Lexi had been staying in the homestead for nearly a year now, but soon they would move on and she'd be alone in her loneliness, in her grief.

She was a doctor and she had not felt something, a change in her sleeping husband. Maybe it she had woken up she could have done something-saved him. A month had not clouded her guilt and her pain. She found herself wondering to his grave often, talking to him like he was still with her-still wishing her happy birthday.

"Mama?" Michaela heard a voice behind her; she was staring out the window of her bedroom, and turned to greet the voice. It was Evie, her youngest girl and for a moment she closed her eyes and saw a dark haired three-year-old blinking back sleep.

"Ma, Pa wouldn't want you to be like this," She stepped farther. She was glad it had been so cold lately; her thick shawl covered her ever-growing belly. Evie was five months along and still hadn't told anyone. In any case she was determined to help her mother-it was what she had always done. Katie had been so rebellious after Matthew died that Evie took it upon herself to be the opposite of her elder sister, a kinder more compassionate person. Until Amelia had been born Evie had done everything she was suppose to. But, was she happy? Did she long to be wild and adventurous like her parents? Or noble and a bit villainous as Matthew- whom she'd never really known or loving and friendly like Brian? Perhaps responsible and determined like Colleen? Even like Katie whom she most despised. Instead, she did what she thought her family needed-perfection. Stayed in Colorado Springs, married, had children-did she want more-need it? Was there something intriguing in her character after all?

In some ways Evie felt people were defined by their childhoods.

"Everyone wants to see you. Miss Dorothy has been coming everyday since…. since it happened. You wouldn't even go to the funeral. Miss Grace has been coming by with food too-and some news. It's seems Emily E and Luke asked the Reverend to marry them. The whole town is in arms, Robert E and the Reverend were shocked-didn't even know about the two of them-of course Lexi, Lottie, Lily and I have known all along. Cat too, oh Ma, she hasn't been seen since your birthday. Maybe the two of you could talk? Help each other. Come on Ma, it's been a month, we all miss Pa, but we miss_ you_ too."

Michaela couldn't help but smile at her talkative daughter-her voice she hadn't heard since her granddaughter was born. "I'm alright, little one, really. I just don't want to see anyone right now."

"It wasn't your fault. He had a stroke. There was nothing you could have done. Brian told me when Ingrid died Pa said: "Blamin' don't fix things; just makes 'em go on pickin' at folks"i. You know he's right. You have Lottie's wedding to look forward to and I didn't want to tell anyone yet, but I'm going to have another child, July I think."

Michaela supposed she was destined to have stubborn children.

"Evie, do you want to take Amelia for a walk? She's been fussy all day," Xavier stated as he heard his wife open the door. "I promised Hank I'd have his new table ready by tomorrow."

Evie headed for up the stairs without saying a word. Not even looking at her husband or her child.

"Damn it, Evie! What's wrong with you? You were so happy this morning I thought things were back to normal."

"I told Ma about the new baby." She touched her stomach. "She was real trilled, got her to come downstairs and eat some breakfast…I'm glad _someone_ is happy about it."

"A baby?" Xavier said quietly.

It hadn't always been like this. Evie remembered days picnicking in the church courtyard with Xavier. She remembered eagerly wondering what to name their unborn child. She had never seen much of anything beyond her own small town. She clung to the familiar, what was expected of her, but yet she had been happy. Now, she was afraid to touch her own daughter and her husband was afraid to get close to her--with silent dinners, empty holidays. Any passion that Evie had taken from life had died slowly with each of Amelia's piercing cries or unspoken words between Xavier and herself. Above all she didn't want that life for Amelia-the kind of life that lived between the silences. She felt so guilty it hurt. But, she didn't know how to change.

Her father dying hadn't made anything better. She worried about her mother and she missed her Pa. He always knew the right thing to say-a way to help her.

"We have a good life why don't you see that? Think of Catalina-she'd give anything to have Ned and Henry back! What about your Ma and your sister?"

But all she heard was the sound of Amelia crying as Evie shut the door to her bedroom.

She awoke in a sweat. It was a dream about Matthew. She wondered that night, the night before he was to be executed, what did he feel? Had he been scared, ashamed, angry, or content? Was he so sure in his decision? Had he been lonely? She sighed knowing she'd never get any answers and decided to go see Lottie. Despite the name of Charlotte Michaela, Lottie was actually much more like Andrew than anyone else, even though she did look quite a bit like her real grandmother. Lexi, however, was Charlotte Cooper exactly---fiery, loyal and independent. And Colleen couldn't believe they were both twenty years old. She dressed and stalked out of their home above the clinic.

"I've been meaning to tell you how much I appreciate Lottie helping with the children. She is a fine teacher." Mrs. Slicker said as soon as Colleen stepped out as if waiting for her. "But, you must tell your mother that I am able to take care of my own business."ii

"Cat and Ma have a lot in common right now. I'm sure she just wanted to talk."

"My daughter is fine. Please tell your mother." She ran off nearly bumping into Hank, nicely dressed and Colleen assumed, heading to breakfast at the Café with Lily.

"So, where's the bride to be." The voice behind her said.

"What are you doing here Pa," She stopped. "Ethan."

"My granddaughter's getting married. Of course I'd be here," he stated. "Brian rang me."

"You missed _my_ wedding. Brian's too."

"I'm an old man, Colleen. Things change. Where is Brian? Matthew too?"

"You don't know? I sent you letters, telegrams."

"Know what? I moved around a lot."

"Matthew died in '80,"

"What happened?"

"Just don't go to the homestead. Sully, _Pa_, just died and I don't need you making trouble."

"Fair enough. But, I came all the way from Helena, you won't let me see my grandchildren?"

"I will let them know. If they want to see you I can't stop them. And I'm sure Brian will let you see Byron Matthew and Liliana. But, _I_ want nothing more to do with you."

"Evie. Good you're here. Where are Xavier and Amelia?" Brian stated kissing his baby sister on the cheek as Evie was among the last of the family to arrive for their weekly dinner.

"They're fine…I decided to spend the night. Help with Ma,"

Brian gave her a look and Evie prayed to herself that she wouldn't have to tell him that Xavier had suggested they'd be away from each other for the night. Mild and gentle, Evie had never seen her husband so angry.

"Stop worrying big brother." She smiled falsely.

"I'm not, honest."

"They sent Cat on a train. I saw it leaving before I left town." Lexi stated placing the roast on the table.

"To where?" Evie said taking off her jacket as Brian grabbed it to put it on the hook.

"Evie… are you?" Lexi questioned stepping closer to her aunt.

"I meant to tell everyone."

"Why, why you're _huge_." Brian stood in shock. "Is that why you never took this off?" He held up the coat.

"Uncle Brian!" Lexi hit him playfully with her hand.

"I mean-."

"-I saw Ethan, Brian. He told me you asked him to come." Colleen said appearing by the door. "Why would you do that?"

"Colleen, I thought he'd want to know. Lottie is his granddaughter."

"So was Beth and he didn't even send a telegram! What about Matthew! It's been twenty years and not a word!"

Brian looked down. "He said he moved around a lot. He didn't know."

"He lies Brian. Always has." Promises of riches and San Francisco could not change her opinion of Ethan now. Sully was the only father she wished. And at that moment she wished Sully could be there.

"Dr. Cook?"

"Hello Ephram." She turned around and softened.

"Did I interrupt?"

"No. We're done he's _not_ coming."

"Maybe Lottie wants to-." Said Brian.

"That's just it. Lottie and I-."Ephram stuttered.

"Ma, maybe it would be best if we held off with the wedding. With grandpa gone it just doesn't seem quite right." Lottie said touching Ephram's shoulder.

Michaela stood to the side unseen. She missed Sully more than ever, especially when it seemed that their family was falling apart.

A/N: More to come! Please review!

i Sully in "Brother's Keeper"

ii Mrs. Morales in "Seven Kinds of Lonely"


	4. Cold Ghosts

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter Four: Cold Ghosts

May 1900

Colleen looked ahead as the busy streets of Denver lay before her; she was focused on the cemetery as Andrew wrapped his arm around his wife. Andrew had not been blind to his wife's restless sleep or how much Sully's death had really affected her, a vacation, even if it were only to Denver was more than overdue.

Colleen knelt down as she brushed away the vegetation that had grown up around Matthew's headstone. She touched the engraving of her brother's name and wondered what he would have been like had he'd been given the chance to live. It pained her to think of Matthew here alone and abandoned in the farthest corners of the cemetery. Michaela had made the trip to Denver a few times in the twenty years since but Colleen had never been, she had not stood and watched Matthew hung as a deviant nor witnessed the dismal burial that took place shortly after. She hoped he was no longer hurting wherever he was now and she was sorry she had forgotten if only for a moment.

"Excuse me, did you know my brother?" a voice called behind Colleen, startled she rose to her feet and faced the person. A pretty blonde stood before her dressed well and holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Katie Sully," Colleen started. "Where on Earth have you been?"

* * *

_ "I'm sorry." Matthew chocked as he passed by his parents, shackled and handcuffed. Nearer My God to Thee rang through out the city as Matthew was led up the wooden stairs and the minister spoke: "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me…" The noose was put over his head and Mike had to be restrained so she could not run up to the platform and save her son. That was what a mother was supposed to do, save and protect their children. That was what a doctor was supposed to do. But, now she stood powerless to stop anything, forced into having to watch her son die without being able to stop it._

Michaela jumped up in bed and reached her hand over ready to feel Sully's embrace; when she felt nothing, she jerked and recoiled. For most of her life Sully had always been there. Even when he had been hiding from the army or when he went on a hunting trip, he had still always been there. Now there was nothing. And there would never be for as long as Michaela was alive. She had lost many people in her life: her father, fiancée, sister, mother, friends, patients, and a child. Sully's death brought her back to Denver, the Denver that had existed twenty years ago…twenty years? Had it been that long? Would Sully's death soon feel like a distant ache?

She had tried, for the children. She let them believe she was all right. She would get through this, she always had. But, somehow she didn't want to. Why not suffer when death was always around the corner? Her practice had taught her a dance with death; it was her job to fend it off and yet life had told her different. Matthew too had faced death many times; in the end he had caused one. How did one tip toe that balance? She thought about Horace and how he had tried to end his once. How Colleen and Hank could never believe they could ever recover the deaths of their children. How Catalina saw her child and husband everywhere she went just because she could not handle moving forward.

Then she thought about Lexi and Lottie; how happy she was to have grandchildren, to see Colleen a mother. Then Brian and finally Evie. Lottie was getting married. Evie was pregnant again. She had been so determined after Matthew's death to not remember him as a murderer. And she had been able to for nearly twenty years. She had no control over her life and the lives of the ones she loved. She was finally beginning to learn this. There would be deaths, disappointments; mistakes-she could barely even let Katie register in her mind. But, there would be happiness, weddings, births and achievements. She had no control over how long she would live without Sully, without Matthew, without so many others. Why not live when they could not? Why not enjoy what she had left?

Michaela settled back into sleep only to be startled by a noise at the front door. Grabbing her robe she rushed down the stairs stopping only to tell a sleepy Byron to go back to sleep as he peeked from behind the door of his bedroom. When she arrived to the door a tall, elegant women stood in front of her, a man next to her carrying a sleeping child, two others standing tall.

"Katie." Michaela said.

"Mama." Katie said crying after several moments she replied, "Colleen found me at Matthew's grave. It's quite extraordinary."

Michaela couldn't stop staring. She looked so far removed from the wild girl who left this same house so long ago. She sophisticated and refined, almost like Liliana always did stepping of the train in her Bostonian splendor.

"In Denver? … You weren't planning on…"

"It's been so long. I wasn't sure you'd even still be here," Katie shifted the weight of her tea into another hand and stole a glance at her husband. "Where's Pa? Sleeping?"

"No…he died several weeks ago…stroke."

"Oh." Katie stole another glance at her husband. Jacques stood up, walked over to Michaela and kissed her hand.

"I'm Katherine's husband…Jacques Duplessis. It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Quinn."

Michaela nodded, he spoke with a thick French accent. "You as well."

"Hello Grandmamma." A little girl spoke.

"And what's your name?"

"I'm Sophie. That's Henri." She pointed to the sleeping boy.

"I am Jean." Another much taller boy spoke.

"Well Katie…we have much to catch up on." Michaela stated.

* * *

"I still don't believe that Katie's back." Evie spoke to Lexi, Lottie, Lily and Emily E.

They all sat comfortably around one of the tables of the café. One man whom Evie had never really seen around the town stopped and gave Emily a cruel look.

"I have my own problems." Emily E stated sadly.

"It'll work out, Em." Lottie offered.

"Always the optimist, Lotts… and besides Rev. Johnson did say he would marry you and Luke." Lexi moved in closer. "Can't turn his back on his future grandchild."

Emily E sighed. "Have you talked to her yet?"

Katie was Evie's only biological sibling and yet she could not feel any less of a connection with her. She loved Brian and Colleen but the four people who sat with her now were more like siblings then the ones she had. The only one missing of course was Catalina.

"I don't really remember her." Evie lied. "I _was_ only ten years old."

"You remember more then we do." Lexi looked at her sister.

"Why I _did /I _she leave?" Lily spoke up.

"Something about Matthew I think." Evie stated and then grew silent.

Actually, Evie remembered everything.

No one spoke for a moment and then Lexi said to Lottie: "Remember Ma wants to meet you at the clinic to go over the wedding."

"You're still going through with it?" Evie said.

"Of course-." Lottie started.

"-Evie, just leave Lottie alone. If she wants to continue with the wedding let her. Its Ephraim and Lottie's business, just because your unhappy doesn't mean you should spread it." Lexi snapped.

"What?"

"You never hold Amelia or spend any time with Xavier. You kept the baby a secret. I don't know if it's just because of Katie, but you've become a bitter selfish person. Katie left 10 years ago! Its not your life—you aren't your parents little girl anymore. Live your life not someone else's!"

"I never said anything about Katie."

"That's not true Evie, you haven't stopped talking about how much you wish she'd leave since she's arrived." Lily spoke up.

"You're a wife and mother…you cant even see what's right in front of you! How much you have! Think about Cat." Said Lexi.

Evie got up from the table.

* * *

What was so odd about being a sister to Katie and Evie was that there were so many memories that Colleen could never share with them. When her grandmother had given Colleen her brush and comb, when Brian ran away to join the Indians, Matthew and Ingrid, Brian's first article in the Gazette, the Horse race, Dr. Mike's and Sully's wedding…. To her younger siblings they were just stories. To Colleen it was her childhood.

Of course she loved being a sister to them and she loved that Evie was so close to the girls. Colleen had always wanted brothers and sisters for Lexi and Lottie. Still, _she_ wished she were closer to Evie.

Now that Katie was back is brought up more dormant feelings. She missed her brother. She missed her daughter with the green eyes. She missed Sully her Pa and apart of her wished she could go back to the day Dr. Mike came to Colorado Springs. Of course that would mean no Andrew and no Lexi or Lottie and she couldn't imagine life without her family. It was after all a childish fantasy, an escape that could never really happen.

She thought about the names she had given to her children. Alexandra Rebecca and Charlotte Michaela. Then she thought about Byron Matthew, Emily Olivia Antonia "E", Teresa and Jake's children named after Jake's dead siblings. Their names were reminders of the past. A past that these children could never understand.

She wasn't mad at Katie. Colleen knew she had had her reasons for leaving. She wished she hadn't of hurt ma and pa but she couldn't blame her for wanting her own life. Hadn't it been Colleen herself who argued with Dr. Mike for her blessing in marriage? It had been an argument about Matthew, about why he died. At least that's what she had been told. Katie had used Matthew's death as a slap in the face, as reason to not be told what to do. If Michaela had told Matthew to run, if she had persuaded him maybe he would have been saved.

It was a ridiculous argument. Yes, Katie had been close to Matthew, the only one of her siblings to remain in Colorado as she grew up and she had been much older then Evie, who had been only ten years old when Katie left. Dr. Mike had grown frighten after Matthew, she wanted to keep her children, especially the younger ones, safe and close to home. She didn't want Katie to go off to New York or Europe even if that was what Katie had wanted.

* * *

Lottie had been seeing Ethan. She still couldn't get use to calling him Grandpa, that name was reserved only for Sully, but she enjoyed their walks. Lexi would be angry if she knew and her Ma would be furious. Liliana had been indifferent when she told her, she had been adopted and could identify with feeling like you belonged to your adopted family and was a stranger to your birth family because you never got the chance to know them. Lily loved her Grandpa Hank but knew little of her father Zach and Mary her mother. She also held no ties to Ethan just as her Pa, Brian, no longer felt anything for his birth father. Byron Matthew was just too young and Lottie wasn't even sure he knew who Ethan was. Sometimes Lottie felt for her youngest cousin. Nearly everyone around him were either female or extremely older or younger, she wasn't sure how he fit in.

Still, Ethan was an old man with everyone he ever knew turning their back toward him—yes he probably had made mistakes, but so had she and she hadn't been alive to witness his. How could she judge him based on others feelings?

"Charlotte." Ethan replied and Lottie turned to greet him. He was the only one who had ever called her Charlotte; something in the way she looked reminded Ethan of a young Charlotte Cooper.

"Hello." Lottie smiled, as Ethan took her arm.

"What's this I hear about the wedding being off? You and Ephraim are doing alright?"

"No, we're fine. I just thought it would be best with Grandpa… being gone and all. But I talked to Grandma, she reminded me of when my parents were married and how she almost got in their way. She doesn't want use to lose any time."

Ethan nodded. "And with Katie being back? What do you know of her?"

"She's an artist. Spent all this time in Europe apparently. I was too young to remember."

"Don't remember your Uncle Matthew either?"

"I was only a few weeks old…Ma tells me stories though."

Ethan was silent. "It's just hard for me to…"

"I understand. It took a long time for everyone to deal with Matthew and for Katie…It'll be a long time for Grandpa too," Lottie said. "Sometimes it's hard for me to understand my Ma. All these things happened for her that I can't remember and I can't help her with it."

"She's not alright?"

"She's fine. She's just always been cautious and a little sad. Pa says she wasn't always like that."

"I wish I could have met Elizabeth too," Said Ethan. "…Lets talk about the wedding."

* * *

Evie didn't know what was it about Katie that made her hate her sister so much. Really they should have been close—biologically speaking Katherine Sully _Duplessis _was her only sister. Furthermore, the seven years between Katie and Evie were far less than the years between herself and Brian and Colleen. Still, Katie had left and destroyed the fragile family only to have her return too late-- Pa was already gone.

Katie waved from across the street; Evie looked ahead pleadingly and then faked a smile as Katie walked toward her.

"Lunch at Grace's?"

The pair walked in silence, not far, and sat down.

"I can't believe the Café is still the same."

Evie smiled.

"Xavier seems wonderful and Amelia is so adorable…. Little Evie a mother! Soon again too!"

Evie kept smiling.

"I think she looks like you the most. But she has Ma's eyes."

Evie stopped for a moment. She had never noticed Amelia's eyes before…. They were that same mismatched beautiful eyes that her mother had.

"Thank you," She said quietly. "So where have you been all this time?"

"I was in Paris the longest after staying in New York for a while. I just kept moving around… not really sure why."

"Katie, Evie." Dorothy said approaching the sisters. She turned to Katie eagerly, pen and paper in hand. "I've just spoken with your husband. Imagine, our Katie, a famous painter! Stop by, once you're settled for an interview. It's good to have you back!"

"You are _the _Katherine Duplessis." Evie said. "When I saw your paintings I always thought you saw Colorado just as I saw it… and all the others, you have been to so many places."

"Evie…"

Evie stood up. "Goodbye, Katie." The last thing Katie had wanted was to come back to Colorado. Now that so mach had changed Katie wished she had come home sooner. She was thankful that Colleen had seen her in the cemetery but that did not mean that her father was alive. That she hadn't hurt Ma or Evie.

Katie had always been close to Pa, she loved her Ma, but Pa had always understood her. She and Evie had that in common at least. Maybe there was always that tension between mothers and daughters… and sisters. How Sophie scowled whenever Katie asked her to do something but gleefully agreed whenever Jacques asked, how Lexi and Lottie loved each other but found it easier to talk to others. Maybe it was just because Lexi and Lottie were so different, because Evie and Katie were too.

* * *

Was it still strange to not have a brother? For Brian he noticed it often especially now that Sully was gone. He felt guilty concealing the troubles he had been having with Georgia. He hadn't wanted his parents to worry and didn't want to ruin the celebration of his niece's wedding. He had also hoped that Georgia would return. It was true times were changing and perhaps that meant that Georgia needed more. Lily was grown and Byron was getting older, plus the household was run by a host of maids and butlers. Why shouldn't Georgia go off and do something on her own? He had grown up with two unconventional mothers. Still, it didn't change how much Brian missed his wife. How much Byron and Lily missed their ma.

* * *

Michaela stood over her growing family as they ate a little uncomfortably at the dinner table. She sighed to herself and thought: "What are we going to do about the children, Sully."

* * *

A/NMORE TO COME! 


	5. Melting Pond

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter Five: Melting Pond

May 1900

The Sully homestead was busy with activity as its inhabitants arose with the sky. Each one had it's own secrets—its own fears. Lily awoke and went across the hall to gently jostle her little brother as he tried to bury himself further and further under the covers. She looked around and tried to imagine what it must have been like for her father to grow up in this very room, when her own childhood had been very different. In that moment she thought of Zach Lawson her other father and wondered if her life would have been more like this had he and her mother hadn't died. Is this the life she would trade in for if she did in fact accept Caleb Slicker's proposal? It wasn't a bad life, hadn't her grandmother chosen it and left her Boston life behind? Still, to Liliana it lacked excitement, yes this the old Wild West, seemed boring in comparison to the beauty, party and extravagance of twentieth century elite East Coast. It wasn't just the lifestyle she'd miss, she really wasn't that trivial, but it was apart of her—the part that it had seemed Evie and Catalina had lost. Themselves. She didn't just want to be a lawyer's wife, as much as she loved Caleb. When she had discussed it with Lexi she had suggested talking to Caleb, perhaps he would want that too, a life in Boston, a life were she had something of her own. But, she felt very selfish, why should she take him away from everything he loved?

Evie came down the stairs into the kitchen of her parents' home. Everyone already assembled at the table, food scattered, her family busy talking with each other. The kind of morning her father had loved.

Dr. Mike smiled and looked at her youngest as she held Amelia on her lab. "Xavier though maybe you were missing her." Michaela didn't tell Evie that she had spoken with Xavier and he had expressed his fears of Evie's peculiar behavior. Michaela felt guilty that she just hadn't noticed till now.

Evie stared at her daughter unsure of what to do or say next. Had she missed Amelia? Had she missed her husband? Then she really looked at her and thought about what Katie has noticed in Amelia. "Did you know Amelia has your eyes?" she said to her mother.

"Well of course," Michaela smiled again. "Don't you sweetheart." She said to Amelia as she kissed her granddaughter and then handed her to Evie. Amelia's mother held her awkwardly almost dropping her, until Evie began to cry.

"Evie, are you alright?" Lottie said.

Evie just nodded. She supposed she had missed her after all.

* * *

"We have a lot to do today." Colleen said already dressed and standing over Andrew who barely had time to open his eyes.

"Colleen, relax. Remember our wedding? We don't want to do that to Lottie." Andrew said half joking.

"Of course I remember," She pulled in for a hug and kiss. "Happy anniversary."

Colleen left her husband in order for him to get ready for the wedding as she slipped out of the door. Down the hall she heard the sounds of children playing in speaking in thick French accents.

Katie and her family had been staying with Colleen and Andrew since there wasn't nearly enough room at the homestead. It was good to have her niece and nephews underfoot and to get to know them and Jacques and she smiled as Byron nearly bumped into her running down the hall.

"Aunt Colleen, what if I can't remember where to put the rings?" Byron said. He had taken to visiting the clinic, making fast friends with nine-year-old Jean and six year old Henri.

Colleen ruffled his head. "Don't worry. I'll be there to help you." She turned to call to Katie but was stopped by a pound at the door.

"Xavier? What are you doing here?" Colleen said as she opened the front door to the clinic.

"It's Evie. She came home last night and we got to talkin' and everythin' was fine. But this mornin', she says the baby's comin'." Xavier said nervous and rambling.

Evie looked almost lifeless as they brought her to the table. She mumbled softly, "I'm sorry," and reached for Xavier's hand.

"It's too early isn't it?" Xavier said worriedly.

Colleen nodded as she examined her sister. "Why don't you take Xavier to Ephraim's," she said to Andrew, who had joined her. "Please tell Katie I need her down here."

"I want to say with my wife."

"I won't let anything happen to her. I promise."

"Please Colleen. I don't want her here." Evie said as Katie came into the room, while Andrew and Xavier left.

"It'll never be alright that Matthew's dead, but we have to move on with our lives," She said to her sisters. "The past is gone, you can't keep hating each other for things neither one of you had any control over. You think I don't miss him? I do… but the truth is, Matthew died because of Matthew and no one else…," she stopped for a moment. "Katie do you still remember how to be a nurse?"

* * *

"Real excitin' about the wedding." Horace said while he handed Brian a few letters.

"Yes," Brian said flipping through the stack, stopping to open one that was from a lawyer friend of his. "You're coming aren't you?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Bye." Brian said distracted as he nearly bumped into Jake Slicker. Lily had been thrilled when Caleb announced he would be willing to go back to Boston with her. A big city would be better for his law practice he said and Isabella and her family would still be in Colorado to take care of his parents. The pair had told Jake and Theresa earlier this morning after not being able to find Brian.

"Did you hear the good news?"

"What news?"

"It looks like there will be another wedding, Caleb's and Lily's."

Brian smiled falsely and started to walk back to the homestead. How was he going to tell Lily and Byron that their mother had just ended their marriage?

* * *

A/n: Sorry this is so short and a cliffhanger. More to come soon I promise! Please review! 


	6. Winter's End

Winter's End

Winter's End

By: Josephine Rayne

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Chapter Six: Winter's End

A/N: I seem to be unable to finish the rest of this story. Basically what would have happened is that Evie (she had been suffering from _**PostPartum**_) would happily have a son and name him Quinn Sully Williamson, and Georgia would have divorced Brian and Emily E would have married Thomas the Rev.'s stepson and together they'd have a son shortly thereafter. Below are some final **bits** of the story and a random epilogue of children and marriages in the Quinn-Sully-Cooper family. Thanks for reading; I'm sorry I couldn't finish it properly.

May 1900

Night began to fall and the wedding celebration was over, Michaela looked for her son, she had barely seen him all afternoon as she stepped on to the front porch of the homestead and gazed into the sunset. In the corner, Brian played his flute with Byron taking a nap, resting his head on his father's shoulder.

"Brian, where's Georgia?" she asked.

Even now with Katie and Evie who had such dominate personalities, Brian still held the place of someone not quite the baby, and yet though a man as someone who'd never grown up. Michaela still saw that litter boy reaching up for candy at Mr. Bray's Mercantile.

"I don't know," Brian replied.

"She left?"

"Yes… I thought she's be back for Byron's birthday but…"

"Oh Brian, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Ma."

Brian remember his last conversation with Georgia, she had stopped unbeknownst to anyone else at the wedding.

"You can't just leave with out a word." Brian said.

"Brian I…"

"You don't want to see Byron and Lily? She's engaged you know."

"I'm happy for her. I hope it works for her, but Brian you know _I_ haven't been happy for years."

He was silent for a moment. "I know."

"I do love the children. I'm just not…you were always better with them anyway."

"I can get Byron if you're not staying."

"Tell them they can visit me in New York."

"Even if it's not true?"

"Brian…" she kissed him and as she turned to leave she said: "I love you but you always saw in me something that I'm not."

Brian nodded to his mother and shook the memory away. He started to play his flute once more.

June 1900

"I remember you used to love acting out stories. Brian used to read you two every time he came to town- you went to Boston with him once for six months. I put up a fit; I didn't want to leave my friends. Colleen used to teach you how to cook. And me, you used to follow me everywhere I went!" said Katie to Evie as she got onto the trip with her family. She was glad that she went back to Colorado Springs that her children and husband were able to see where she grew up. Most of all she was glad she reconnected to Evie.

Evie hugged her sister. "I'm glad you came back too."

July 1900

Evie and Xavier lay curled up with their son, Quinn Sully Williamson, in between them.

"I know you aren't much for words. We were always good like that—a balance. After Amelia was born I felt like I could do nothing right with her, with you, that I wasn't right. I thought maybe it was because I needed more…I'm going to help Mrs. Slicker and Lottie at the schoolhouse make myself useful. But I'm going to be there for you this time, for you the baby and Amelia."

Xavier thought for a moment, he didn't want to say anything to ruin the calmness that he and his wife now shared. "How do I know you won't change?"

"You don't. And neither do I. And Pa didn't know that he'd be gone and Catalina didn't know she'd be alone…but maybe we could just try it."

January 1901

As Colleen rummaged through a few old baby things of Lexi and Lottie's to give to her new grandson Teddy, she found an unopened envelope. She knew at once that it had been Andrew that had hidden the package from her, Matthew's handwriting escaped from the pages, maybe he thought she couldn't of handled it at the time or maybe he had forgotten—in any case it didn't matter any longer.

_Dear Colleen,_

_I know you are upset with me over what I have done; I still cannot believe it myself. After Ingrid and Emma and Maddie I began to believe that I would never have what you and Andrew have—and I got angry, so angry I killed a man. While I can't say he deserved to live, it was not my place to judge him…but I can't take that back, any of it._

_I'm sorry for Elizabeth, I wish I could have gotten to meet her, I know she had your goodness—I wish I could meet Alexandra and Charlotte too, but I'm glad that you will not see me here. Take care of them and make sure Brian stays the good man that I know I'm not: rash and so quick to prove himself, something I saw in Ethan and now know it was in me all along. I do not blame anyone but myself, know there was nothing you could have done to change things. I know that I deserve what will happen; it is the only way to make some sort of amends. Make sure Ma understands this too, help her through it if you can. I am sorry that I put her and all of you through this. Maybe tell a story or two to Katie, Evie and your girls, so they remember they had a brother and an uncle. Remember that I love you, little sister._

_Matthew, December 1880_

* * *

Michaela opened the cover of Brian's new book and smiled remembering the controversy Dorothy's book had created:

_My Pa once took my sister Katie and I fishing when he __was hiding from the soldiers. He had been away for __months and in town Ma was trying to stop a Diphtheria __epidemic. He had been lonely and I had missed him-__he told me "Even when we're far apart we are still __together." I had understood what he meant then __but it took becoming a man and having a family __of my own to fully appreciate it. I've lost my Ma, __brother, friends, and now my Pa-so many others…__But, when I think about it we're still together, living __our lives in that small Colorado town._

Michaela smiled again. Her son had a way with words.

Now almost a year after Sully's death and though she'd always carry Sully, Matthew, her little granddaughter Beth, her mother, father, Marjorie, and all the rest…she also knew that there was still so much left to do, for life as always, moved on.

For Colorado Springs, 1900 became 1901, then 1908, 1914, with the outbreak of war in Europe, 1920. There were births and deaths; they even named a street after Dr. Mike when she died 101 years old in 1934. And soon the Slickers, Lawsons, Brays, and Jennings, along with the cowboys and Indians, would all disappear into myths and legends as and the past slowly become history and vanished into time.

* * *

Epilogue

Colleen Cooper _Cook_ (MD) 1854-1941

Andrew Cook (MD) 1850-1942

**COLLEEN AND ANDREW'S CHILDREN**

** Charlotte "Lottie" Michaela Cook **_**Reading**_ 1880-1977

Marries in 1900 to: Ephraim George Reading 1879-1970

5 children:

Theodore "Teddy" Thomas Reading 1901-1990

Andrew "Drew" Nicholas Reading 1902-1983

Benjamin "Ben" John Reading, 1905-1999 (served in ww2)

Adam Albert Reading, 1907-2003 (served in ww2)

Mary Colleen Reading _Taravella_ (MD) 1910-2007

** Alexandra "Lexi" Rebecca Cook (Yerns) MD** 1880-1950

Marries in 1915 to: Francis "Frank" Allen Yerns, MD 1881-1918 (served in WWI)

1 child: Charles "Charlie" Cook Yerns (MD) 1915-

* * *

**MICHAELA AND SULLY'S CHILDREN**

** Eve "Evie" Josefine Sully **_**Williamson**_ 1878-1980

Marries in 1899 to: Xavier Paul Williamson 1878-1976

2 children:

Amelia Anne Williamson _Ryan_ (MD) 1899-1989

Marries in 1920: Henry Isaac Johnson 1890-1962

3 children: Margaret "Meg" Eleanor Ryan _Kelly_ 1920-

Noah James Ryan (MD) 1921- (served in WW2)

Peter Vincent Ryan 1922- (served in ww2)

Marries in 1970: Kevin Daniel Evans 1897-1985

Quinn Sully Williamson 1900-1990 (served in WWI)

Marries in 1918: Inga Popova _Williamson _1900-1991

6 children: Victoria Anya Williamson 1919-1919

Walter Arthur Williamson 1921- (ww2)

Edward "Ned" Richard Williamson 1924-1944 (ww2)

Alice Grace Williamson _Smith _1925-

Natalia Alena Williamson Harrison 1927-

Ivan Maxim Williamson 1929-

** Katherine "Katie" Elizabeth Sully **_**DuPlessis**_ 1871-1939

Marries in 1891 to: Jacques Jean DuPlessis 1866-1939

3 children:

Jean Pierre DuPlessis 1890-1970 (served in ww1)

Marries in 1925 to: Emily Ruth Watson _DuPlessis _1898-1975

1 child: Helen Marie DuPlessis _Hewitt_ 1927-

Henri Manuel DuPlessis 1894-1984 (served in WWI)

Marries in 1919 to: Amélie Mathilde Roux _DuPlessis _1899-1986

3 children: Astrid Audrey DuPlessis _Moreu _1920-1990

Claire Elise DuPlessis _Leroy _(MD)1923-1987

Colette Lorraine DuPlessis _Lambe_rt 1927-

Sophie Adrianna DuPlessis _Blanc_ 1896-1967

Marries in 1923: Alexandre Anton Blanc 1895-1923

Marries in 1938: Timothée Vincent Morel 1889-1969

* * *

Brian Cooper 1859-1945

Marries: Georgia Anne Miller _Cooper_

Marries: Anna Rose Jackson _Cooper _in 1909

BRIAN'S CHILDREN

**Liliana "Lily" Jane Lawson-Cooper **_**Slicker**_** 1876-1937**

Marries in 1901 to: Caleb James Slicker 1872-1948

2 children: Ana Catalina Maria Slicker _Lawlor_ 1902-2002

Tobias Hank Slicker 1912-1913

**Byron Matthew Anthony Cooper 1890-1988** (served in ww1)

Marries in 1913 to: Caroline Elisabeth Humphrey _Cooper_ 1893-1987

4 children: Rose Bess Cooper _Arnold_ 1913-2002

Rachel Prudence Cooper _Jack_ 1914-2004

Violet Laura Cooper _Greene_ 1916-

Virginia Emily "Ginny" Cooper _Nelson_ 1920-


End file.
